Black & White Publishing, an imprint of Bonnier Books UK, is to publish nautical YA horror Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith.
Clem Flanagan, editor, and Campbell Brown, executive publisher at Black & White Publishing acquired UK & Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Louise Lamont at LBA on behalf of Claire Friedmann at InkWell Management. Delacorte are publishing in the US.
It should have been the trip of a lifetime.
When Liv lands an all-expenses-paid opportunity to study aboard the luxury cruise ship, the Eos for a semester, she can’t believe her luck. But as soon as she steps on board alongside her best friend Will, Liv realises just how out of her depth she is among the rest of the Seamester students – including the brittle and beautiful Constantine, who may be hiding his own ties to the Eos – and most of all, with the Sirens, three glamorous and mysterious influencers who seem to have the run of the ship.
Liv quickly discovers that the only reason she was invited to join the trip is because another girl disappeared shortly after enrolling and no one seems to know what happened to her. When further disappearances rock the ship and strange creatures begin haunting Liv’s dreams, she wonders: Is the Eos hiding a dark secret within its shadowy decks?
A claustrophobic YA horror with elements of Greek mythology, Those We Drown is for readers interested in high-stakes, fast-paced thrillers in the vein of House of Hollow and The Society for Soulless Girls.
Amy Goldsmith said: “I am absolutely thrilled that Those We Drown has found a home in the UK with Black & White Publishing. I can’t wait for a new audience to discover my twisty YA horror debut that weaves together creepy cults and Greek mythology aboard a luxury cruise ship setting.”
Clem Flanagan said: “Those We Drown is an atmospheric horror story I couldn’t put down. Exploring the sinister side of wealth and privilege, Amy has created a book that is both masterful and chilling, it keeps you in its clutches until the very last page. We are so excited to be publishing it here in the UK and bringing such an immersive book to the growing genre of YA horror.”
Amy Goldsmith grew up on the south coast of England, obsessed with obscure seventies horror movies and antiquarian ghost stories. She studied psychology at the University of Sussex and after gaining her Postgraduate Certificate in Education, moved to inner London to teach. Now, she lives back on the south coast where she still teaches English and spends her weekends trawling antiques shops for haunted mirrors. Those We Drown is her first novel.
Those We Drown will be published on 15 February 2024.